Pocket protector



Sept. 6, 1932. VBRUQE 1,875,847

'POCKET PROTECTOR Filed June 1a. 1930 Patented Slept. 6v, 1932 e UNITED STAES LEO BRUCE, or CHIOAGO, :InLiNOIs :POCKET PROTECTOR 1 Application filed .Tune 18, 1930,. Serial No.v4v61,l9'810. i,

This invention relates in general to a pocket protector for garments and has for its principal object to provide a device which may be applied to a pocket in such a manner Vthat a warning will be given to the wearer of the garment by any one attempting to open the pocket.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of a simple resilient device which engages the sides of a pocket without obstructing the opening therethrough and has a spring action which gives a deiinite warning to a person using the protector as soon as an unauthorized entrylto the pocket is attempted.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of a simple resilientv device which may be easily applied to and removed from a pocket and engages with the opposite edges only of the outside of the pocket.

Other objects will appear hereinafter, the preferred construction being illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing:

Figure l illustrates a pocket opening in the outside of a garment and shows the location of the pocket protector of this invention with respect to the pocket and the opening;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

, Figure 3 is a sectional view of the pocket protector in the extended or alarm position; and

Figure 4 is a perspective of the protector device.

Most of the pocket protecting devices and constructions comprise some addition or modification of the garment which includes ,the pocket. The present invention is designed and intended to be applied not to the patch pocket type but to a pocket in which a separate sack or enclosure of fabric extends from the pocket opening. Tn applying the protector, the sack or pocket is inserted through the protector and the opposite sides of the pocket are gripped and held yieldingly by theends of a flat spring which forms one side of the protector.

i Referring more particularly' to thlejdriaw?" i ing, a portion 6 of a garment is shown having a pocket opening .''from which extends ontheinside ofthe garment asackl or en;-` closure 8 forming' the pocket, usually .free from attachment to the other materialoflthe garment lying Yflatly against they garment andagainst the body of? a person wearing the garment., u

To this pocket is applied the present protector which comprises a stripy 10 of resilient` material such as thin's'trip metal, vthe extremities of'which are rounded and turned over at the ends against the materialA toI provide grippers for engaging the oppositeedges' ofa pocket,fholding the pocket extended in flatcondition as shownl in vFigureQ and bowl' ing' inwardly` from the garment to engage the person-Or bodyof the wearer when the pocket is distended, as shown in Fig. 8.

This protector may consist of a single spring'lO with the end grippers ll engaging the opposite Outside edges of the pocket, the spring having a natural tendency to assume the bowed position, as shown in Figure 3, when the pocket is closed, as shown in Figure 2, but springing to the bowed position, las shown in Figure 3, whenever an attempt is made to open the pocket. If desired, an additional spring l2 may be applied to the turned over ends of the spring l1 which tends to cause the spring 10 to assume the bowed position whenever the pocket is distended for access thereto. This spring l2 is preferably a coil spring of small diameter, the ends of which are attached to the grippers ll through openings 13 or by means of small fastening devices 14.

With this construction it is apparent that there is no additional material, flap 0r attachment to the garment or the pocket; the pocket is not injured or diminished in size; there is noobstruction on the inside of the pocket; the protector may be easily applied to and removed from any pocket; the protector does not damage the material of the pocket; and the protector does not form av bulky or objectionable obstruction.

To apply the protector the pocket is simply pulled through between the springs l0 Vsol' and 12 and the opposite edges of the pocket are inserted under the grippers 11; or if the spring 12 is omitted the opposite edges of the pocket are engaged by the grippers. In normal use the spring is bowed slightly outward as shown in Figure 2, conforming to the shape of the body, and if the spring 10 is pressed oppositely at the center either by engaging the two ends ofthe spring l0 and pressing the Center inwardly, or by openingV the pocket, the spring, 1() when itpasses the center line between its ends will` be bowed inwardly as shown in Figure 3, thus at tracting the attention of the wearer if the 15 pocket is opened in any unauthorized'or unexpected manner. o

I claim: i V y 1. A pocket Yprotector Comprising a flat strip with grippers at its ends adaptedto engage "over the opposite edges of a pocket to which it is applied vand a s ring attached to the ends of the strip anda apted to form a bow in the strip to indicate that the pock- 'et is-open. .n Y v Y 2. A pocket protector comprisin a resilentv strip havingv end grippers a apted to engage over theV opposite edges lof a pocket f to lwhichit is applied, a rresilient member connecting the ends of the strip and extendm, ing at the side of the pocket opposite the strip whereby the opening of the pocket will' cause the spring to bow'the strip. p'

Y LEO BRUCE. 

